Safety device for railway grade crossings



. Aug. l2, 1930. A. T. KING 1,773,043

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY GRADE COSSINGS F'iled March 13, 1928 ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1930. A. T. KING 1,773,043

SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY GRADE CROSSING-S Filed March 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 l BY ATTOR NEY Aug. 12, 1930. A. T. KING 1,773,043

SAFETY DEVIC FOR RAILWAY GRADE CROSSINGS Filed March l5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTOR NEY Patented Aug. 12, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUGUSTUS TILLMAN KING, OF WESTMINSTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF TWENTY-FIVE PER CENT T0 ROBERT T. JAYNES, OF WALHALLA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TWENTY-FIVE PER CENT TO JOHN M. BRUNER, OF WESTMINSTER, SOUTH CAROLINA SAFETY DEVICE FOR RAILWAY GRADE CROSSINGS Application led March`13, 1928. Serial No. 261,300.

lumination until the barrier returns to its' normally elevated position so as to avoid danger of accident after the barrier has been lowered, o r'when the barrier is being lowered or raised.

Another object of the invention isthe provision of novel means for raising and lowering the 'barrier so that the barriers upon 0pposite sides of the track will besimultaneously operated. v

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details o f construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the 'accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings 'zwl Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the invention Figure 2 is an elevation with the barrier raised. v

Figure 3 isa similar'view lwith the barrier in lowered position.

Fi ure 4 is a 4fragmentary elevation showing t e upperend of the gate, the view beinat right angles-to Figures 2 and 3.

i ure 5 is an en lar ed fragment-ary secview taken on t e line'5-5 of Flgtiona ure '4. i

Figure 6 isa-diagrammatic View illustrating the manner of wiring the gate.

Referring to the drawlngs in detail wherein like characters vfof reference denote corresponding parts', the invention as shown comprises a pair of arch-shaped structures v10 whichf-arepositioned upon opposite sides of a railway track 11 and which straddle a roadway or crossing 12.,A The arch-shaped structures are spacedfrom the track as shown in Figure 1 and include side uprights'13 and cross bars 14. The arch-shapedstructures are connectedby beams 15 which lextend transversely of the track, so that an arborl1ke structure is provided through which' trains or cars are adapted to pass.

Each of the arch-shaped structures 10 has associated therewith a barrier 16 which carries at its opposite ends a carriage 17. The

wheels 18 of these carriages are grooved and Y engage vertically disposed tracks 19 which are located upon the opposed faces of the side uprights 13.

The barriers 16 are connected by a flexible member or chain 20, whose opposite ends are provided with bridles 21, the latter being connected to the barriers 16 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The chains 20 eX- tend over guide rollers 22 which are mounted upon beams 23 and'pass under additional guide rollers 24 and are connected to one end` of a pivotally mounted arm 25 as indicated at 26. The arm 25 is pivotally mounted upon the upper end of a standard 27 and pivotally mounted upon an arm 28 which extends through this standard is a lever 2 9 which `is connected to the arm 25 by means of a link 30. The lever 29 has connected thereto-one end of a rod 31 and the opposite end of this rod is eccentrically connected as shown at32 to a ear 33, the latter being mounted upon a stu shaft 34 which extends from an upright 35.

The gear 34 is engaged and driven by apinion 36 which is fast upon a shaft 37 vand the latter also has secured thereon a pinion 38.

This last mentioned pinion is engaged by aV pinion 39 which is secured upon the shaft 40 and this shaft has also secured thereon a gear 41 which is driven from a pinion 42 fast upon the shaft 0f a motor 43. The gear 33 is thusv the pilot 46 of a locomotive. The switches 44 are connected by means of a conductor 47 and are connected to one side of a battery B or other source of current by means of a conductor 48; A-solenoid 49 is'connected1 tothe` conductor 47 by means of a conductor 50'and this solenoid is connected to the opposite side of the battery B by means of a conductor 51. The mechanism also includes a switch S which includes contacts 52, 53, 54 and 55. The Contact 54 is connected to one side of the battery B by a conductor 56 and the contact 52 is connected to this 'conductor by means of a conductor 57. The contact 53 is connected to a brush 58 of a reversing switch'R by means of arconductor59ywhile azfconductor 604connects the contact with a lorushlofl the ref versiIng, switch, fRf Thezbrush. .58,Y engages a contact ring 1 62f.while the .brush .61 engages'a.

@Contact ring-:63, both .of these ringshaving.. interrupted insulatedport-ions 64,. The rings.,

62i'and.63 are preferably carried. by .thegear 33K and are v.in electrical connection. with .an brush 65 through this gear..

The brush 65 is conneeted to the motor 43 l' bygmeansof a conductor .66; while a conductor.

67 connectsthe motorwith the battery Assumingthat acar. or tiaiirisapproaclr.

ing :the crossingas indicated iin Figure .1 304 ythe drawings, the member :45 will. engage and,

close the switch 44, whereupon current will: liowrfrom. the batteryfB throughthe condfnctor.48, the -switcli 44,.thefconduetor 50,'.the solenoid.49 and throughzthe :conductor 51 ,fbacktozthe batteryBf The. solenoidy 49 will thus be energized to drawits 301365168 inward. against the action of a spring69'and this `cor-e isconnected .by means of .a rod 70-and aun arm. 71.which `isloose` upon-.ashatt 72.y A x My spring 73 resists movement of the aiiinin one` direction, while a fstop. 47 4 limits. movement in aniopposite direction Mounted uponftlie shaft i7 2 is .a ratchet wheel .7 5 which .is fast with-.theaini .76, andi whenathe solenoid 49 y 45.? is energized, therarm 71 wiltbe moved against the actionA of=its -sp-ring.,73.f Astliisaiiir carriesea` dog f77 whiclrengages *the ratchet'- wheel 75,.,thevratehet wheelf willbe.moved4 and will carry rw'itheit thearm'76fso that the- 50 latten wil-L.engagefthefrcontaots 52- andu Current will then flow from the batteryiB through theconductor.56@` the conduotorL theacontac-t 52,. the varm, 76, the Contact 53, tlieconduetor 59Y .the brush- 58 .ther ring-162.`

67,. The,-h mo-teri. millet-hns be@ energized te drive' the-1 gear! 33;v rotation being ,continued until the fbiush .58`rests -upon-fthe kriirsulfateel ing it will engage the other switch 44 and as these switches automatically open, the first engaged switch will then be open. Current will then flow from one side of the battery B :through the-sw-itch 44, the-conductor 50, thefsolenoid40, the conductor 51an'd-fback to the battery B so that the solenoid will he again energized. The operation just described will be repeated "except that the armv 76 will bridge the contacts 54 and'55,'so that current will viiow throughl the brush 61,' the ring 62, vthe gear 33, the brush 65, the conductor 66, the motor 43and back to the batterythrough the conductor 67. Operation of the motor will continue until the inter- 80 rupted Aorinsulated part' of ,theffring z63"is positioned beneath the brush lfasshovenyini Figure 6i Duringthis operation ofatheanotor, thebarrier-s 1will be raised... Y

In order Vtoimalre the barriers .sreadi-lfy; vis-.5 S ible'` atri-ight, they are A-proilided {withalamps-V 78 and theselamps arefconnectedaby means of conduetersJQ-with Contact.' ingersSO., These lin'gersnormally rest upon: insulatedV portions 81 of Contact bars 82 and thesebarsfggf. are arranged parallel with theside'uprights 13-so1that5the contact fingers .801fwill ftravet overthe fcontact bars `as thefbarrfiers are rbeingfi raised and lowered... The barsSQlmybe con,Y nected byiineans of?,conductors?83fwth-af95 suitable 4souiice-of .current Normally,'the coiitactnfingers180frest1upoiithe insulated-portions 8110i thebars 82,*but as soon as the fingers leave these insulated-- portions during,l the loweringfm'oveirrent .of 100 the` barriers,= a circuit. will be.V completed; through thelainps A782 and :the llatter fwifll) be,4 illuminated..l

The lamps 78 will remain lit untilrltheff barriers 'ar-eV again raised to their normal 105 f positions.'

The-invention. may' be .u sedwit-hout Vlower? ing or raising-.the barrier, oiir-gategfas-anlight ingsignalsystem. hensovuse'd thee-bard rier will remain stationarynin elevatedwposi.4 110 tion controlled by switchvand the lightsautomatically ope-rated.

This barrier can be rendered inoperative: by 'plaeing iswitohat base` oit,L motor: This switch will open circuit, motor will beeinef 1&5 operative, barrierl remain#` stationary? and lights will automatically workf-as theatrairrf a pproaohes and leavesfoutf-s This:v invention isssuseeptiblee o'fffvarious' i changes inl itsformg.. proportions .tandzmnoivr 120 details-ot construction'-` aiid therright isiherein reserved ton makexsaeh changesasffpnoperlyz: fall within the scope of the appended 'elaine'.

Having described f thee-invention what i is claimed is ze Int azraitwayfcrossingigate, anarchsliiped struct-uref` adapted'.l toa be? positioneda transe: verselyrof a2.roadwayeup'onfeaelisirleaoranda spaced.. romandiparalleb:with theiti'aek'esoii the xrailway; meansfextendiiigetransversetyf'130 of the tracks and connecting the tops of the arch-shaped structures, a horizontal barrier guided or Vertical movement Within each of said Structures, means connecting the barriers, and means operatively connected with the barrier connecting means to simultaneously move the barriers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AUGUSTUS TILLMAN KING. 

